Messy New Tenant
by whysosiriusumbridge
Summary: Hermione Granger feels incredibly lonely at Grimmauld Place, what with Harry out of continent, doing Merlin-knows-what and his Godsister still in America, Kreacher was the only company she had. So, she decides to move out and thankfully, finds the proper flat for her work, which is nothing if not messy. Let's just hope that the other two guys aren't clean freaks.
1. Messy

**So, a new story. It's a part of a larger crossover I'm planning and had decided to publish this piece later on since it's way ahead in the whole story but I just couldn't resist. ENJOY!**

_**Dear Harry, **_

_**I received your letter yesterday and decided not to reply since the thought of contacting me entered your little head after three frigging months of no word! But then I thought that you'll probably keep bugging me and somehow find a way to make up. **_

_**So yeah. I'm as fine as can be with Kingsley hounding me for the reports for what happened in Forks and me refusing him time and again. The others are also fine. We found out who Lavender was 'secretly dating'. Turns out he was a douchebag, left her moping. I think Ron and Ginny are planning revenge while me and Draco distract her. Talking of him, I think the ferret has found someone finally, he was talking about her yesterday, wants us all to meet him. Theo and Emily are still back in America, though Theo refused Draco's restaurant job. He was pissed for a long time.**_

_**And thanks for letting me crash at Grimmauld but it's no fun, really. It's really lonely without you and Em and however hard Kreacher tries, old habits die hard. So anyway, I'v decided to move out. Finalised a nice place yesterday on Baker's Street. The woman, Mrs Hudson, sounded a lot like Mrs. Weasley so I thought it'd fit perfectly. I still have to see the place once. Actually, I'm set up in half an hour. **_

_**Let's hope the two others who I'm supposed to share with aren't clean freaks. Stay out of trouble and if there's an emergency, you'll have to call me, Grimmauld will be empty and I don't know I'll be able to get a Floo set up in the new place.**_

_**Again, try to stay out of trouble.**_

_**Love, **_

_**Mia**_

Hermione quickly stamped the end with her ring (which had the initials HG in frolic cursive), her old family heirloom. She then folded up the parchment and thrust it into her bag. Grabbing her coat and scarf, she hurriedly made her way out of Grimmauld Place and once out, locked the door with her wand.

Hermione walked swiftly towards the busier street of the next block, and hailed a taxi for Baker Street as the door of No. 12 disappeared from view.

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It would have been much easier really, Hermione thought, if the git could learn to work with a little bit of technology for once. It was getting frustrating for her to get a new mobile phone for Harry every few months and if not her, then Draco was constantly complaining about it. And this time, she couldn't even talk to him via the Floo for at least a couple of weeks.

"Here, Miss." The driver said, pulling up in front of 221 Baker Street, which was next to a cafe called _Speedy's_. She got out of the car, and handing the change to the cabby, walked up the few steps to the door, and knocked twice on the old fashioned wooden door.

There were a few thumps from inside and a few moments later, an old woman opened the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Hudson? Hermione Granger, we talked yesterday." Hermione said, thrusting her hand out and the woman looked surprised for a few minutes, before smiling softly and shaking her hand.

"Ah yes, my dear. Come on in, come on in." She said easily and ushered her inside, closing the door behind her.

"It's upstairs, the room, dearie, and the boys are also home. You'll get the chance to meet them too. Really sweet, both of them." The woman said, chuckling softly, talking all the way upstairs, Hermione following closely.

She knocked once and then opened the door and slipped inside. Hermione's first impression of the room was of Grimmauld Place's living room, only a little bit lighter and with additional soft music playing in the back ground. Hermione felt immediately at ease.

A collection of all kinds of weird annotations littered the room, a severed hand which looked suspiciously like the Hand of Glory, there were a few fingers poking out from under the sofa and three gelatinous substances at different locations all over the room. All in all, the room looked like an illegal apothecary. Added with an extra of papers and clothes and a laptop, along with a gun poking out from a chair.

"Boys, I think I asked you to clean up." Mrs. Hudson said disapprovingly and Hermione finally noticed the two other men in the room.

One was blonde and shortish with a kind face but hard eyes. He was clean shaven and looked on edge. The man had undeniably seen war.

The second man's face was not in view because he was the one playing the soft music, with a voilon, and was standing at the window with his back turned.

"I did try Mrs. Hudson, I swear I did but you know how he is." The blonde man said exaperatedly, closing the book he had been reading.

"Oh sorry. Didn't see you there." He said, taking note of Hermione's presence and immediately stood up from the couch he had been sitting on. "I'm John Watson." He said, offering his hand.

He carried himself exactly like a soldier and his hands were calloused too. Definitely a soldier then, Hermione thought, shaking his hand, "Hermione Granger. Pleased to meet you."

Looking over at the tall man by the window, Watson sighed. "That's my friend Sh-"

"I think I am very much capable of introducing myself, thank you, John." The other man interrupted in a drawling voice, finally putting down his instrument and facing the others in the room.

He looked like his face had been chiselled from marble, that alone would explain the high cheekbones and complexion, Hermione decided.

"You're not here with a case, are you?" was the man's greeting and Hermione faced a bout of confusion.

"I'm sorry? What case?" Hermione replied, depositing her bag on a nearby table. The dark haired man's eyes followed this movement and Hermione looked at the blonde man, seeking for some clue that this was normal.

The man called John gaped for a few seconds at her instead, and then at Sherlock's highly bored expression. "She doesn't know who you are." He exclaimed gleefully.

"Should I?" Hermione shot back with a raised eyebrow.

Mrs. Hudson gave a short scoff. "She's here for the room boys. Your new room partner, Sherlock. Better behave. Tea dear?" she asked Hermione, who smiled an affirmative.

As Mrs. Hudson shuffled out the door and down the stairs, Hermione started looking around the room, when John offered her to.

"Sorry about him. That's as social as he gets." He said conversationally.

"Oh it's alright. I don't mind." Hermione responded with a smile as she looked at the fridge which had a large note saying 'ONLY EDIBLE ITEMS SHERLOCK'.

"You don't? That'll probably be your best bet." John chuckled nervously. "I'm an ex army doctor but I mostly help Sherlock with his cases. He's a consulting detective." The man added after a minute.

"I work with the British Government. Hush-hush department, you won't know about it." Hermione replied flippantly, almost unthinkingly.

She felt John stiffen but resume his shuffling after a moment, but the music from the other side of the room stopped completely.

"Which hush-hush department Ms. Granger?" asked the man called Sherlock, without turning from his position.

"It's hush-hush for a reason Mr. Sherlock." Hermione replied easily, pretending that they were discussing the weather instead of the highly compromising topic of her job.

There was a pregnant pause which Hermione pretended to ignore and then exclaimed before she could help herself- "Are those frog eyes?!"

John pointed towards Sherlock, who turned suddenly, already shouting the warning, "Don't touch-"

"With bare hands. They should always be touched with needles or something because direct human touch makes them decompose fast. I know." She said, chuckling slightly while examining the eyes.

Her chuckles turned to barely stifled laughter when she noticed the look on Sherlock's face. He was undeniably surprised.

"You never told me." John said disbelievingly, looking accusingly at Sherlock, a hint of hurt in his voice.

"I knew you'd never touch them with a ten foot pole, let alone your hands." Sherlock said easily and then proceeded to do some corrections in his notes, facing outward again.

"Ah, a severed head too." Hermione exclaimed upon examining the refrigerator, and was that approval in her own voice?

"I like this place." Hermione exclaimed finally, with a satisfied look on her face, back in the living room.

"Oh." John said intelligently, looking pointedly at the mess around the room, Sherlock, and then the girl.

"Not too messy for your tastes?" he asked, a last, pathetic attempt at finding something normal.

"Of course not, John. Hermione likes my experiments." Sherlock said, without turning back, still sounding bored.

"Exactly. I love the mess, it helps me to think. In fact, I think I might be adding to it." Hermione replied happily.

She thought she heard John groan quietly, "I'm not destined to live with a normal person."

Mrs. Hudson came in with the tea at that moment and Hermione enjoyed chatting with the old woman, who did, after all, remind her of Mrs. Weasley.

And the flat, she decided, was perfect for her.

**So, how was it? Good? Bad? Normal? I know it's nothing different but I am going to develop it more in the later chapters. Have it all planned out.**

**This IS multi-chaptered and can't say much about the update schedule but I do know that reviews egg me on. **

**How WAS it?**


	2. Opinions

**_CHAPTER: 2_**

**I was absolutely thrown by the response.. *does a happy dance* Seriously guys, I can't stress this enough, Thank You SO MUCH! I love each and every one of you! And for my friends who were unavailable for PMs:**

**Sarah: Thank you for that. J As for the romantic pairings.. I don't know how to say this, but I'm not very much sure how you mean it.. As I mentioned, it's a part of a larger crossover, so I can't really explain.. You could please log in next time or PM me? I would love to talk on it. Thank you so much for reviewing. J**

**Christina: Thank you so much for that! It made me fluffy inside. J THANK YOU!**

**Guest: (Interesting) I hope it stays that way too. J And I'd really appreciate it if you log in next time. J Thanks for reviewing.**

**Guest: (Very nice start): Thank you. J Happy you liked it. J**

**And the Disclaimer: Anything recognizable is not mine, it belongs to Rowling, Moffat, Doyle, etc etc. Because I forgot their names.. :3**

**Not holding up further, here is the chapter: ENJOY!**

"So?" John said, as soon as Hermione went downstairs with Mrs. Hudson.

"So what?" Sherlock replied without turning around.

"Well, what do you think about her?" John urged, lying back down on the couch with his book in hand.

Sherlock remained silent for a another moment in which the book in John's hand felt like it would look better flying in the air towards to a particular black head of hair.

But before the impulse could be acted upon, Sherlock sighed and turned around, finally, dropping his instruments onto the floor with an unceremonious thump, and then proceeded to take his signature thinking pose on the sofa opposite John.

"There wasn't anything of much interest to deduce except, of course, her job, which doesn't seem to bother her, judging by how flippantly she replied. She obviously doesn't know me but it could simply be a matter of ignorance about celebrities since not everyone is interested in detective stories, against what you seem to think, John. Her job is a desk job which includes lots of paperwork since she has very old ink smudges on her hands, plus fresh ones too which suggests she was recently working or writing something. Her family is rich and her parents might be deceased because of the antique ring she was wearing. Her parents were dentists; her teeth were too clean, in contrast to her other physical attributes which suggest extreme carelessness. She belongs to London originally; the accent, plus, she has recently been to America, the coat she was wearing was relatively new and the logo it bore doesn't supply it's goods in Britain, not to mention, it's really expensive and hard to get hold of. Her clothing choice indicates that she lived in a very cold area for a long time. Also, the 'hush-hush department' she works in, she has a high post in there but the question is where? Anyway, she works from home mostly because her feet show very much less signs of abuse which is generally caused by the weird contraptions called heels and also, she dresses quite carelessly, which looks fashionable to others but to those who observe, it is clear that they have not been taken much care of. So do the hair, by the way. All of these suggest that she cares least of public opinion."

John blinked a few times, taking it all in. For a woman who was supposed to work in a secret department, she seemed much too east to ready. He was glad though, that he managed to notice the last few details.

"She also owns a cat and a bird of some sort." Sherlock added after the moment's pause.

"Right." John said, "Are you-"

"No, I'm not going to ask Mycroft about her. Not just yet. She doesn't look like much of a threat." Sherlock replied to his barely-asked-yet question.

John closed his gaping mouth after a few seconds and decided that it was probably best to read his book instead of wondering about his flatmate's newly developed mind reading abilities.

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"Hello?"

"Can I talk to Theodore Nott, please?"

"Theodore Cerebrus Nott, who the hell was that?"

"Theo! You know I hate this. When was the last time Harry lectured you about these one-night stands?"

"Exactly. You know how I feel about this. Now listen, one more girl and consider yourself dead."

"That doesn't matter. You were drunk anyway."

-Sigh-

"Fine. Now listen here, are you free for the day?"

"Of course. I should have known. I still don't think your past relations with Draco's secretary has anything to do with the job offer he made to you."

"Right, dropping that thought right there, you remember I told you I might be moving out of No. 12?"

"Yeah. I think Draco's not even in Britain, let alone London. Em's still back in America and you know Harry."

"_Theo! _You know Blaise is busy with his work and Lavender has to tackle everything for me at the Ministry."

"Oh stop making excuses Theo! I. Need. Your. Help."

"...No."

"Argh! Okay fine! _Please Theo! HELP ME SHIFT!"_

"You're a lucky bastard you know that?"

"This evening, around 4."

"Yeah. I think it'll take around two or three days."

"Alright. We'll do the furniture and all first and paperwork at last."

"I will talk to Connor about the Floo, don't worry."

"Right."

"Thanks buddy. You're not that bad, you know."

"Fine fine. Bye."

**Update 16/1/14: Something extra is better than nothing extra so yeah. :D And extra is always best. :D**

**So yeah, more of a mini-chapter but then the next scene is kind of important since we have new HP characters being introduced.. By the way, is it too early for them? What do you think? Should I delay the entrance a little bit? They aren't main characters, if that helps.**

**So overall, how was this one?**


	3. Shift

**Thank you so much for the reviews again guys! :)**

**Sarah: I'm not sure if I can write a romance properly but since it doesn't neccesarily interfere with the already established plans in my head, it could be done. It will have to be slow though. :) As for the character introduction, I think you'v already seen it. If not, I'd suggest revisiting Chapter 2. :) Thank you for your support. :)**

**Guest: Thank You. :) That was quite expressionable. :D**

**On with it then: Enjoy!**

That morning, after Hermione left, John thought that would be all they would be seeing of the girl for at least a few days. But, he was, of course, proven wrong, when that evening, the doorbell rang twice and Sherlock's head jerked up from his hunched position on the couch.

He frowned as Sherlock stared at the door of their flat in undisguised curiosity. John wondered who it was that had Sherlock's attention even before they had entered.

"Mind that part over there." Came the slightly familiar pant of Hermione's voice and it sounded like she was accompanied by someone else too.

"I'm minding it very well Mia. You mind your little hobbit foot on that dent." said an unrecognizable, slightly accented voice, but distinctly male voice.

John shared a look with Sherlock and felt satisfaction pour into his mind on seeing the equally confused look mirrored on his face. Though he did shake it off remarkably soon.

He quickly opened the door, guessing they would need the help. He was rightly greeted with a sight of a frowning Hermione ushering a dark-haired, handsome guy, into the flat, both holding rather large bags and Hermione carrying a few smaller bags as well.

What caught his attention though, was something along Hermione's left forearm- she had pushed the sleeves up, and if he wasn't wrong, there was some sort of tattoo or scar just near her wrist, spelling something, though he wasn't sure because the next moment, it looked like the sleeves had slipped down again. Hermione didn't even seem to have noticed the little change, so he guessed it must have been chance.

"Oh. Hi, John. Thanks." Hermione smiled politely as she entered, dragging the bag with her and sighing loudly at dropping it.

"Hi Hermione. So, you're.." John gestured uselessly at the bags, leaving his sentence hanging.

"Yeah. I'm.. I'm sorry, you don't really mind me shifting today, do you? I'm really sorry I totally forgot to check with you guys." Hermione rambled, looking truely apologetic.

"Of course not. I mean, I don't mind at all. Don't know about-"

John was cut off by a beep from directly behind him. He almost squeaked in alarm but managed shortly, spinning around in time to see that Sherlock was frowning at his phone.

The look in his eyes when he looked up at him, told John that there was a case.

"Right. I don't mind you shifting and I'm sure, without doubt, so is John. But now we'll have to run, John and I. We'll catch up on this amazing rendezvous later on. I hope you didn't expect any help from us, Ms. Granger and anyway, it was on too short a notice." Sherlock rambled in a single breath, catching his coat and hat in the same one and was almost out of the door in the second one, John struggling to catch behind.

"Sherlock! At least say hi properly!" John bellowed as Sherlock made to move down the stairs.

"Fine. Hi Hermione. Hi Stranger. It was great seeing you puff and pant carrying up those few bags and Mr. Stranger, you really need to work on hiding your effects of alcohol-fondness from last night. Really, learn from Hermione, I can't tell what she ate for breakfast. Except, maybe she ate nothing seeing as she ate two burgers and a plate of spaghetti for lunch. Nice appetite you have, maybe it's because of the malnutrition bout you had three years ago. Anyway, your eating habits won't help me in solving the case so now I'd like to leave, thank you! Come along, John!"

And he was dashing down the staircase with that creepy grin of his still on face.

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Hermione sighed in relief and dumped herself on the couch for a moment where Theo joined her.

"Thank Merlin! I thought they'd never leave. Hats off to Fleur's timing!" she sighed and stretched languidly, which was interrupted by Theo poking her sides, where he knew she was ticklish.

"Ow! You dumb jerk! What was that for?!" Hermione said angrily, rubbing her sides and sitting up again.

"You do know that the set up won't hold him off for long. The bloke's creepy. With all that you told me about vampires, I think he might be one." Theo said, frowning slightly and thinking back to Sherlock character's long ramble. Definitely creepy.

Hermione only snorted.

"He is creepy. I even thought he was wizard. Wait till you see what weird experiments he carries on in here. Luna would love it too." Hermione said, rolling her eyes slightly and getting off the couch, finally.

"No, really. With all those deduction skills, I think he might even solve it in half an hour." Theo said conversationally, as he started pulling out the miniature lots of furniture and other items which made up Hermione's definition of furniture. They only had to enlarge the shrunk versions and they would be done for the day.

"And he will know it too." Hermione replied, dusting off some books.

"How did he even know that I was drunk last night? And Hermione, I think we agreed that paperwork was last on the list?"

"Yes, paperwork is last, when did I disagree?"

"Well, duh." Theo pointed to the books in Hermione's hand and raised an eyebrow.

Hermione just huffed and made a gesture of throwing said books towards the wizard while continuing her conversation.

"And Theo, he actually is right. You have that jacket on from last night which you borrowed from the pub's worker, no doubt, it has the logo on the back. Plus, your forehead is still sweaty and you were almost wheezing after carrying those bags-"

"As if you weren't pretending that there's a dead hippogriff in there.-"

"-and you also flinched at every slightly-louder-than-normal sound. You're also squinting after every few moments and since it's half past four in the evening and you are conscious, it means that you got drunk last night."

"..."

"And of course, the jacket stinks too."

"You.. you are like him, aren't you?"

"Nah. I don't like to show off."

**So? How was this one? Not much prissy or anything?**

**It was slightly difficult writing Theo, but as Hermione pointed out, there was no one else free for the job. :D**


	4. Distraction

**Another one! :) I think this is the longest I'v written till now but I hope you like it. :D Reviews:**

**Sarah: Yup. Theodore Nott, fellow Slytherin in Harry's year and how they came to be friends, maybe I'll write a one-shot? It'll be fun :D And I'm happy the characters are being brought out okay, I mean I kind of expected them to be lacking in some field of my description. lol**

**embir: Thank you so much! I'm really happy you like it! :D And see, I updated within 24 hours of your review! :D Thank you so much again! :)**

**And also, I kind of reupdated(?) Chapter 2, don't know if you noticed, it's not much though, rereading is your wish. Please do visit the bottom of my profile though, it's kinda important.**

**On with it: ENJOY! **

"What's wrong?" John asked as soon as he and Sherlock were seated safely in the back of a taxi, taking them back to the subway, from where they could safely take another cab back to Baker Street.

Sherlock had been frowning the entire time, ever since they had set foot at the crime scene- a young man had been found dead on his own couch, he seemed to be watching TV while he most likely stabbed himself. He had solved the case within fifteen minutes- since the door of the apartment had been locked from inside, no one could have left (the other doors and windows were bolted too). The reports had said that there was no kind medical problem- no history of drugs, just some amount of alcohol in the body. Sherlock deduced that the drug had been mixed with a rare chemical which was found in the human intestines and was added to his drink, which he seemed to have consumed two days before. The only sign of the drug was laziness and most victims ignored it. The speciality was that it initiated a self-destruction phenomenon of such a kind that the victim felt he was hallucinating while he performed the likely acts which would take his own life.

Sherlock had explained it all in detail to Lestrade and then had kept mum about everything until they were seated in the taxi, where he sighed softly.

"Something was wrong. It looked too easy. Everything was too properly and easily placed, just.. just sitting there innocently waiting for me to come and deduce. It was like a puzzle especially laid out in the open for me, specially for me. Like, I don't know, like someone knew my style. And, that drug. It's not easy to get hold of, John. It's only available on special order. Special order. Only someone like Mycroft or the likes could get hold of that thing. I think it was a distraction. Or a set up."

"But then, how would the killer know Sherlock? How would he know exactly that you'd be called in this time or.. or if the body would be found at this time. I mean if it's a distraction, then from what exactly is it?" John argued, this time actually thinking that Sherlock's theory was a bit too far fetched.

"You're right." Sherlock said after a few beats of heavy silence.

"And how it pains you to admit it, I can see very well."

Sherlock grinned at him then, his mind likely distracted. 'Well, time to work it properly then.' John thought before taking the dive.

"Did notice it today? That scar?" he asked, hoping Sherlock would know what he was referring to.

"Ah yes!" his friend's face twisted in morbid curiosity and concentration, "I remember, I only saw the one on the wrist for a moment but it looked more like a scar. I even thought it was a tattoo of some sort with writing and all, but no, it was a scar. Pity we won't have a closer look at them any soon though. I do wonder where she got them, it's fascinating, isn't it?"

"Them? As in, plural? I only saw the one on the wrist." John asked, suddenly sitting straighter. No matter how hard he tried, he always missed something or the other.

"There was one on the neck. It was completely uncovered so I got a good look at it. A knife. Isn't it interesting John, that our newest flatmate is barely twenty-five and has already been held on knife-point at least once in her life?"

"I don't think it's that interesting." John replied, trying to sound off-hand-ish but Sherlock stared back at him with mirth shining in those blue-grey eyes of his, until he relented. "Oh fine, it's not very interesting in your way, just a bit curious."

"And the boy- he belongs to a rich family, spoilt in his childhood but most likely, something dreadful happened in his teenage years, because of which he had to take up on the drinking. He's not necessarily a drunk, only has been drinking since he was young. Also, most likely didn't have a proper childhood or homely atmosphere. Oh, and did you notice, he also had an antique sort of ring on his finger, not like Hermione, it just looked like an heirloom. And his origins are definitely from Italy; the accent was distinct. But.."

"But?" John prompted, admittedly not having noticed all of _that_.

"Well, don't you think something's off?" Sherlock asked with a frown, looking at John with concern. About what, he didn't know.

"Umm, no?" John replied uncertainly.

Sherlock exhaled, looking irritated, and pressed the bridge of his nose with his finger and thumb.

"Well, I do, John. Something just feels missing. Though I don't know what, yet. And now that she's going to be around, I guess we can easily find out." Sherlock said, folding his hands in his typical thinking pose and staring at the seat cover in front of his face.

John immediately felt that he would have to improve his distraction tactics if he wanted to live a normal and peaceful life. Though it was obviously impossible with Sherlock, John personally felt that this Hermione Granger character was something more than what scratched the surface.

Her presence just, kind of, made him feel on high alert. As, inhumane, for the lack of a better word, Sherlock seemed to behave, John hardly thought the detective would have any of those feelings against Hermione Granger. Except, of course, curiosity in learning her life story.

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The sight that greeted them when they reached back home at 221B, was really not what John had been expecting. Well, he had expected everything a little more messy, at least.

Hermione was sitting on the couch, inspecting what looked like pancakes. And the unknown boy was fiddling with another one with a knife. Cutting it open or something?

Hermione looked up as the door opened and smiled warmly at seeing them.

"Ah, you're back. Exactly in time actually, I just made pancakes." She said, getting up from the couch and quickly rushing to the kitchen. Her blue button down shirt's sleeves were drawn over her arms and she had a red and gold thick scarf hanging around her neck.

"I don't think we were properly introduced." The dark haired man said, abandoning the knife and piece of food, and stood up from his place to shake John's hand. "Theodore Nott. Nice to meet you. You've got a great place here, by the way."

John smiled uncertainly. What kind of weird people were they suddenly meeting these days, who seemed to take an immediate liking to their unorganised little flat-laboratory?

"John Watson. Ex- Army Doctor. Good to meet you too."

"Sherlock Holmes." Sherlock said, thrusting his hand out for the man to shake.

Theo looked uncertain for a second for shaking Sherlock's hand firmly and nodding at the detective.

"We'll just change in a bit and be back." John said as Sherlock left the room before him without any prologue.

John indulged himself in a quick shower, while smelling freshly baked pancakes and soon returned to the living room where Hermione was already back with another plate and tea.

"Did you try that trick with the insides?" Theo had been asking and Hermione returned his question with an irritated glance and by plucking the knife out of his hands.

"I really don't like that trick, when will you get that in your fat head?" Hermione replied, flipping through the book John had been reading earlier that day.

"Oi! No part of my amazing body is fat! Except-"

He was graciously silenced by a pancake being shoved into his mouth by a ticked-off looking Hermione.

"Have some." Hermione offered politely and John took one, even though he thought she looked kind of scary since her hair seemed to stand on end, a bit.

Sherlock entered then and took a pancake, silently offered by Hermione.

"So you two are friends?" Sherlock asked innocently.

"Yeah." Came the scuffed reply from both the sides.

"How did you-"

"Mate, I heard you've got frog's eyes in here?" Theo asked suddenly, obviously not having paid attention to what Sherlock was saying.

"Under that." John pointed quickly before Sherlock could protest.

Theo had retrieved the substance in question from the pointed place and was inspecting them closely. "Ah, these are the normal ones, aren't they? Can I borrow them? Thanks." He said, moving to the kitchen without waiting for any reply or a backward glance.

"Don't look so shocked Mr. Watson." Hermione chuckled, "He's basically a chef and he also loves experimenting with is ingredients."

"They're edible?" John asked, almost gagging on the pancake.

"Yes." Hermione laughed, "Though I made the pancakes so they're safe."

"Are you going to stay the night Ms. Granger?" Sherlock asked unexpectedly, though that was only for John, Hermione must have thought it to be polite on the man's part.

"No, actually, my paperwork is still at the old place and half of it is at work and this brat's got an appointment tomorrow. I bet he doesn't even remember it." She replied, finally placing the book back and hollered loudly towards the kitchen "THEO!"

"I'm coming, Rowdy." The boy muttered impatiently.

"We're going?" he asked, seeing Hermione standing up.

"Yeah. Do you remember that appointment tomorrow?"

Theo's eyes widened comically in shock and he slapped a hand to his forehead. "Shit! Oh NO!"

"Exactly." Hermione said, mostly to John, and departed, after promising to meet them tomorrow at 4 in the evening, then following Theo closely as he ran down the stairs.

"Don't touch the eyes in the kettle!" John heard Theo shout before the front door slammed downstairs.

As soon as that happened, he was called by Sherlock hissing his name from the window.

"John!" Sherlock said, pointing outside. The unmistakable mass of Hermione's hair disappeared into an expensive looking black car, which soon zoomed at a relatively high speed through the traffic.

"That's Benz S-Guard 600. Impressive. It's not even normally seen outside a palace. High security car." Sherlock whistled almost inaudibly

after that.

"Quite rich then." John agreed quietly, not really knowing what to say.

Sherlock went back to his- doing something and John decided that he wanted to catch up on the blog since he hadn't really got much to do for quite some time.

In hindsight, John never expected that mentioning that a Hermione Granger now sharing a flat with him and the famous detective would have earned such an extreme response.

**TADA! How was this? Is anyone excited about what's going to happen? Hermione isn't even in yet and John will be at his wit's end soon, Sherlock following closely, lol. :D**

**Anyway, the next chapter won't be what you think it will be, _zzz__._ :D**

**Please review! I love reading your opinions on this! And it helps me to write sooner and update faster, not to mention, my day goes really well. :)**

**Oh, and before I forget, if you guys want any specific scenes or anything, please give me a prompt and I'll try my best to include it! I haven't done it before but I think it'll be fun! :D PM me or mention it in the review, your wish entirely! :)**

**PS: DO NOT FORGET TO VISIT MY PROFILE. SOMETHING IMPORTANT AT THE END. THANK YOU :D**


	5. Paperwork

**I'm really really sorry for the gap this time but life got in the way and I had to postpone this chapter. But, on the other hand, I'm so so happy with the reviews! Guys, thank you so much! All other notes at the end, so here we go: Enjoy**!

Chapter 5:

The next evening, Hermione arrived with Theo, along with about fifty cardboard boxes.

"John! Could you please open the door for me?" Hermione's voice shouted from downstairs, as the front door was thrown open with a smash. It was becoming quite the ritual.

"Alright!" John shouted back and quickly opened the door, just as two figures covered with boxes entered inside. A head of black hair was visible from behind one but Hermione's head was hidden completely from view.

"That's a lot of paperwork." He commented, as they put down the boxes on the floor. Theo cast a look around, searching for Sherlock, John assumed, and heaved a small sigh on noting his absence.

"This is just the home part, Lavender's going to bring in the office work for today." Hermione replied, already out of the door, Theo following closely.

John was thankful that Sherlock was out to visit Molly, he should have been suspicious but the detective had assured him that he needed to replace the frog's eyes that Theo had mutilated. How he had done that, John didn't know, since he hadn't dared to touch them since yesterday, or the kettle, for that matter.

It took them about an hour to shift all the boxes from Theo's car to the flat, and then to Hermione's room. John was highly thrown by the size of the bonnet- there was no way that all those boxes would have fit inside it. He didn't get a look at the insides of the black car, so he wasn't sure about that option too.

After the shifting was done though, Hermione disappeared into her room, settling it all down, probably, and Theo, after discovering that the frog's eyes were done with, went down to Mrs. Hudson, dragging John along, convinced that Hermione needed some time alone in the flat.

Mrs. Hudson was as welcoming as ever and agreed to make some complex dessert (whose name John couldn't remember) for Theo- the man had a bad case of puppy dog eyes.

"So, where were you posted during the war, Mr. Watson?" he asked, as Mrs. Hudson went to the kitchen.

"Afghanistan. And please call me John." John replied, glad to have a talk with someone who was as normal as he would find in his abnormal life.

"Alright, John. How was the War? Were you a soldier or a leader?"

"Actually, I was a doctor."

"An army doctor! Amazing. I did that work too for some time in my life."

"Oh, you did?" John asked, thoroughly surprised. Theo didn't look like a person who would have been involved in a war.

"Oh, don't look so shocked. I must not look like it, but I am quite a fighter." Theo said, chuckling slightly.

"The Second War? What station?"

"Oh no, not the second war, it was a Civil War in our home state. You wouldn't know about it, it didn't hit the news since it was more like a Cold War which ended with a huge battle. I wasn't even affected much but we had casualties, many of them, in fact."

"Someone related to you?"

"Yeah, my Dad. He was in the centre of it. Not on the clean side either, mind you. But we survived, and that's what matters."

Just as John was about to ask if Hermione had anything to do with it too, there was a loud knock on the front door.

"John, could you please get that for me?" Mrs. Hudson said from the kitchen and John got up and shuffled over quietly to the door.

The woman on the other side looked like an office worker from her uniform- a white shirt tucked into a grey office skirt and a large black overcoat. She had slightly curly brown hair (nothing compared to Hermione) tied into a neat ponytail and was clutching a purse, along with a large bag on her shoulder. What caught his attention though, was a large faded scar along on the right side of her face- it was deep and ran down from the side of her eye to under her ear, disappearing to the back of her neck.

"Hello, how can I help you?" John asked, looking right into her eyes, trying not to stare at the scar.

"Um, is Hermione here?" she said in a very low tone, and looked around her back, looking like she was afraid someone would see her or something.

"Are you Lavender?" John replied, remembering Hermione mention her.

"Yes!" the woman exclaimed thankfully and quickly shuffled inside, closing the door as well.

"She's upstairs. Do you need help with the bag?" John asked, but woman- Lavender- shook her head and shot him a smile.

"It's fine. I'll manage, thanks." She said, and went up the stairs.

John retreated back to the kitchen where Theo had been humouring Mrs. Hudson, probably telling a story or something. His attention shifted to John as he entered though.

"Was that Lavender?" he asked and John nodded silently, taking his place on the counter.

"Good, now I don't have to worry about keeping the beast under control." Theo said, and offered John the dessert which Mrs. Hudson had made for them.

John laughed lightly as the evening passed and he went back to his flat, while Theo checked out the bakery wit Mrs. Hudson. Sherlock came back soon enough, carrying a large case which he hid in his own room, and John filled him in on the arrival of the new woman, Lavender, and his conversation with Theo. Sherlock listened attentively and started fiddling with his laptop, probably thinking about the developments.

After about half an hour, Lavender emerged from Hermione's room and introduced herself to John and Sherlock, and asked John if he would like a break from cooking for one day. John happily agreed and Lavender went downstairs, just as Hermione emerged from her room.

Her hair looked charged and there were circles under her eyes that John hadn't noticed before.

"Good evening, John. Sherlock." She greeted and flopped down on the couch beside John, putting her legs on the table before her.

"Shifting is a bloody menace for my brain." She groaned, clutching her forehead.

"That's because it can't store enough information required for the quick transportation of data so you have to write it down, so there's more papers to take care of." Sherlock said suddenly.

"No, it's because I choose to delete the information from my brain and write it down on paper so that it's easily accessible to others and they don't have to hound me about it all the time." Hermione replied evenly.

John went to room and brought a painkiller, and handed it to Hermione- "This'll help with the pain." He said and she thankfully accepted it.

Lavender entered then, followed by Theo.

"I'm making dinner tonight!" he exclaimed happily and retreated to the kitchen, while Lavender sat on the sofa, busy with her mobile.

"Lav, make sure he doesn't put anything inedible in there. I don't want us all to end up dead because he decided to experiment with the food." Hermione said, her eyes closed.

"Aye Captain." Lavender mock saluted and went into the kitchen too, and John felt some relief melt into him; at least he was sure he wouldn't die by food poisoning today.

Dinner was a quiet affair- the food was good and Theo was definitely an exceptional cook, John wasn't sure he had tasted such nice Italian even in a restaurant. Lavender and Hermione were working on a file which they had brought to the table (they were dining with Mrs. Hudson), ans Sherlock was staring and eavesdropping unabashedly, while Mrs. Hudson seemed content to just enjoy the food, Theo wasn't talking non-stop about what he liked in the medical field while simultaneously questioning John about various methods and prospects.

Theo and Lavender departed after that and Hermione was sitting in the living room with a file and Sherlock was in the kitchen doing something. John was a bit worried about the latter but his book was quite interesting.

Halfway through the next hour, Hermione suddenly cursed and grabbed her phone.

"Oh shit! How in Mer- How did I forget him?!" she exclaimed and John put aside his book for once.

What was left now?

"I forgot Crookshanks!"

**Review answers: **

**sethiel: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it and here is your update. :) As for Romance, I guess so but I'm totally undecided with the pairing so no offence! :)**

**Sarah: Totally agreed. And I'm glad you're enjoying it. :D Theo isn't one of the famous ones, but he was needed in the story. :D He has some special work in the plot in future. :)**

**Guest: (Thanks for reading, I know who you are :D ) I'm glad you enjoyed, Zissy. :D**

**For other refrences, updates, prompts, extra stuff links, especially prompts, please visit my profile. Some info on a related site is at the bottom. (My profile is totally messed up and I'll try to restore it to proper soon)**

**Thank you again for reading guys, I totally love to read your reviews! Do let me know how you liked this one. :D**

**PS: Before I totally forget, I'm having trouble in searching for a Beta for this story. Guys, if any of you know anyone who would be up for it or interested, please please please please let me know. Most preferably, PM me here, please. I'm in serious need of one and I'm not able to find it. Thanks so much in advance**!

PSS: I have exams starting in a month so the updates might be a bit messy. That sucks, I know.


	6. Crookshanks

**Hello all, I'm here with the next one! I totally loved your response to the last chapter, it got the maximum no. of reviews till now- 14! Which beats 13 for Chapter 1 and 4. :D (Yes, I do count them obsessively)**

**Anyway, review answers:**

**Guest: The cat is going to be trouble for Sherlock, don't know about love or hate! ;) :D**

**Guest: I will try and involve more Sherlock characters, like you asked! :D Personally, I like Molly Hooper too. :D And Moriarity's cuteness.. :D**

**AnimagiPotter: Thank you! I'm totally glad you like it and here is your update! J**

**Sarah: Thanks. :D That was basically for fluff and fur, there's got to be a cat in it. :D**

**Kay: Thanks for reading and approving (I know you would have found it anyway ;) ).**

**Now, here it goes: Enjoy!**

Chapter 6:

Hermione had scanned her phone for about five seconds, when she stopped and just stared at the screen, biting her lip in what looked like indecision. After one excruciating minute, she seemed to make her decision and pressed something then, putting the phone next to her ear.

John watched in undisguised amusement as the woman tapped her fingers unconsciously, waiting, for whoever it was on the other line, to pick the phone. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he remembered the first day, when Sherlock had announced that Hermione had a cat.

He also took the time to notice that Hermione's phone was no simple one, either, it was a smartphone. Better than the one Sherlock currently had.

Hermione suddenly straightened as she begun talking on the phone. Even though John could only hear Hermoine's side of the conversation, it was enough for him to get the gist of it.

"Hey, Drake, you weren't asleep were you?"

"And you're back in London, I suppose?"

"Well, you remember I told you I might be moving out of Grimmauld Place?"

"No, no, all the work is already done. Seriously though, you're all so lazy, Theo helped me in it but he kept whining about it all day."

"Well, you see, I.. uh, kind of, um you know there were many things to take care of, right? And I kind of forgot something."

"No, it's not really heavy, you can even transport it on the bike."

"Crookshanks."

"But I'm so tired already! I still have to prepare those reports for Cresswell and Stigh and Lavender and Theo just went back an hour ago, I can't disturb them again. You're the only option!"

"Yes you are, Draco! Harry's out in the middle of nowhere, Em's in America, Luna's out of town, and I very well can't contact Blaise or Neville as they're busy with their own work, plus Ron and Ginny won't even understand the address."

"I did not mean it like that you know it."

"Do you want Crooks to be stuck in that place all alone for the whole night?"

"Fabulous! I'm at 221B, Baker's Street."

"Yup, I'll be working."

"Thank you! I'll make you pancakes next time!"

"Bye!"

Hermione heaved a huge sigh as she slumped back into the sofa, throwing her file on the table and resting her legs on top of it.

"Crookshanks is my cat. I got him when I was 13. And we both love each other." She provided, looking at John through her mess of hair, which had got charged while she had been talking.

That had been one weird thing John had noticed about Hermione- she was very expressive. All her moods, frustration, happiness, annoyance- they all seemed to showcase on her person very openly. Be it through her hair or her eyes.

John nodded in understanding at her- after all, he had known that she owned a cat.

"Who was that on the phone? I mean, someone is coming here to drop Crookshanks off, right?" John asked, gesturing towards her phone.

"That was a friend. He's been out of town for the last couple of days but he's back now. He's the only one who'll be free at this hour, as I just pointed out to him." Hermione replied flippantly, stretching a bit more on the sofa.

At that moment, Sherlock marched into the room, wearing his night clothes, and holding a cup of something which steamed. John wouldn't dare to call it tea.

"Hermione, do you have to work all night?" Sherlock asked, placing himself next to the window, while sipping on his drink.

"Yup. I'll go to my room after Crookshanks is here, though." She replied, picking up her file and flipping through it again.

Sherlock nodded and didn't speak for some while, during which John picked up his book again.

"There's some coffee in the kitchen." Sherlock said after about ten minutes.

John looked up from his book to stare at the detective. Sherlock had never made coffee, willingly, for anyone except John. That too, when he insisted too much. Should he be taking that as a sign that Sherlock was ready to accept Hermione as a part of their-

Their _what_, exactly?

John unwillingly looked up at Hermione, putting a brake in his thoughts for his sanity's sake. She had been looked at Sherlock with a deadpan stare, and then at John, after which she shrugged her shoulder slightly.

"Sure."

Hermione got up from her place and brought another steaming mug of _coffee_, as claimed by Sherlock, in her hands. She sipped on it slightly, and then, sipped again.

"It's nice." She commented, putting it down on the table and tucking herself back into the sofa, then picked it back up along with the file.

"I added Butterscotch too." Sherlock added after a moment.

"Ah, that's why it tastes better." Hermione hummed satisfactorily.

_Butterscotch_ was something far better and less dangerous than what John had been expecting from Sherlock. As it turns out, this actually was coffee.

Silence settled over, and the only sounds were the occasional flicking of pages by John or Hermione or Sherlock slurping the coffee too loudly or cushioned random sounds form the busy road outside.

It was another half an hour later that Sherlock spoke again.

"Does the stranger who's coming to drop your cat have blonde hair?" he said, not looking away from the window.

Hermione looked up in apparent surprise and put away her file again. "Yeah. I reckon he's here." She said, and departed downstairs.

There was the unmistakable sound of the door opening and heavy footsteps accompanied by Hermione's slightly lighter footfalls.

Hermione was carrying something huge, about the size of three footballs, and with yellow fur. John was unable to see the face of Hermione's pet, so he turned his attention to the stranger accompanying Hermione.

The man, as Sherlock had said, had blonde hair, but they were the whitest shade of blonde John had ever seen. White-blonde, they called it, which John had never had the chance to see first-hand until today.

The man strongly built, with considerable muscle and he had sharp features with deep grey eyes which were currently drawn into slits.

"There." The man, Draco, John's brain supplied, spat, pushing away the tail of the furball in Hermione's hands, as it brushed his dark green jumper.

Despite his general appearance, the man wore a costly, but faded and old, probably a favourite, green jumper, which had a yellow coloured ball on the front and 'Malfoy 7' on the back in a silver colour.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and deposited the furball on the sofa where she had been sitting earlier, from where it promptly stood up and jumped down, making a weird noise. John wanted to keep his eyes on the beast, but they travelled to the beast's mistress.

Hermione gave the stranger an impromptu hug of Thanks, while the stranger looked uncomfortable, but catching John's eye, rolled his eyes in a manner which could only be called _fond_.

"Thank you so much Draco! I would have had to make an extra trip back to the place if not for you!" Hermione said, releasing Draco.

Draco, in turn, rolled his eyes again and moved away from Hermione towards John.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, nice to meet you." He said, shaking John's hand.

"John Watson." John smiled back, at least the man was polite.

"Sherlock Holmes." Sherlock said, moving away from the window and shaking Draco's hand, _himself_.

"Beware of the beast. They're known to cause trouble and make life hell for people, I'm sympathetic for you." Draco said with a smirk aimed at Hermione, who scoffed in return.

John knew the statement was meant for them, but he wasn't sure if the man was referring to Crookshanks or to Hermione. He hoped it was the latter, actually.

"Well, I hope we meet in better circumstances because I have to go off now. Goodnight." Draco said and moved out of the door, Hermione following him.

John made to sit back on the couch but stood up immediately as he felt something more than cushions underneath him.

The furry cat made a suspicious hissing noise and seemed to glare at John from his flattened face.

John decided that he would better stay away from the _thing_ until Hermione comes back.

Just then, Sherlock made a strange noise from next to the window. "That is a Ducati." He said, half-whistling.

John went over to inspect and saw Draco sitting on an expensive-looking white motorbike- it was flashy and seemed to be similar to the ones they had in advertisements.

"It is, again, really expensive, and on the phone, Hermione said that he could transport the thing on the bike, which means he has more than one means of transport and I'm pretty sure it's not a bicycle."

John stared for some more time as Hermione and Draco talked and finally, after about five minutes, he left.

He was itching to ask Sherlock about the blonde-haired man, but he knew that they had to wait for Hermione to leave.

As he thought that, Hermione returned to the room and flashed them a small smile, though John was sure that she could figure out that they had been watching her from the window.

She made to grab Crookshanks from the couch but the cat made a hissing sound again, though it sounded much like disapproval and annoyance this time, and jumped off the couch and marched straight into Hermione's room, with his tail held high.

Hermione shook her head with a fond smile and went back to her file on the sofa.

The cat had one _hell_ of an attitude.

**Happy! Details about what Sherlock thinks of Draco on the next chapter, along with public response to John's blog! I'm soo excited!**

**I'm still accepting prompts by the way, so PM me or the website mentioned in the profile (I've cleaned it by the way).**

**Please review! What do you think about Draco and all, even though his personality hasn't been brought out well enough in this chapter, but I do plan on expanding!**

**Hope you liked this one!**

**PS: Nataly SkyPot, can I just thank you for your reviews, they are the best so far. J**


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